


Waste Management

by CoreyWW



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Awkward Conversations, Crimes & Criminals, Dead People, Explicit Language, Fanfiction of Fanfiction, Gen, Gift Fic, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Sad, Sad Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-04
Updated: 2018-09-04
Packaged: 2019-07-06 22:15:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15895185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CoreyWW/pseuds/CoreyWW
Summary: (Based onA Greater Goodbyrealfakedoors)Topaz and Aquamarine dispose of some "medical waste." Some days it gets to Topaz more than others ...





	Waste Management

**Author's Note:**

  * For [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/gifts).
  * Inspired by [A Greater Good](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15754713) by [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors). 



> This is based on [A Greater Good](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15754713/chapters/36639942) by [realfakedoors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realfakedoors/pseuds/realfakedoors). It is highly recommended you read at least up to chapter two first before reading this, but it's not STRICTLY required. But you should read that story anyway because it's fantastic. 
> 
> **PREMISE SPOILERS FOR THE ABOVE FIC AHEAD** : It's a human AU that involves some of the characters being kept in a nightmarish (and depressingly historically accurate) insane asylum in the 1950s.

After Topaz threw the bundle of towels with the ... _cargo_ in it in the bed of the pickup truck, she sat in the passenger’s seat. She took a breath then exhaled.

The smell of burnt meat that wafted from the back still stung her nostrils. Topaz took another breath, trying hard not to get sick on herself.

Aquamarine, her fingers fidgeting against the steering wheel, turned the key. The old engine sputtered for a bit, then started to hum.

“There we are,” Aquamarine said, sinking in her seat so she could reach the gas pedal. “... well, I’m hungry for barbeque right now, how about you?”

Topaz shot Aquamarine a dirty look.

“Fuck off,” she said.

Aquamarine let out a nervous laugh.

“Can’t take a joke,” she said. “I’m _shocked_.”

“You are a piece of _shit_ ,” Topaz shouted. “Fuck you.”

Aquamarine pressed the gas and started backing out the pickup. It wouldn’t be a long drive.

Topaz tried hard not to glance at the bundle in the bed of the truck, but still found herself staring at it, bumping against the shovels already in the back.

“You know what your problem is?” Aquamarine said as she pulled out before shifting into drive. “You let things bother you too much, love.”

“Yeah.” Topaz turned and looked out the passenger's side windows. “I should just be an unfeeling psycho, like you.”

Aquamarine glanced over. “Well, _yeah_.”

Topaz rolled her eyes. Aquamarine shook her head.

“You will live longer if you just relax and don’t think about it so much.” She shrugged. “It’s just a paycheck.”

Topaz didn’t say anything.

“What was his name?”

Aquamarine groaned as the pickup started to go uphill.

“Ugh, this again ...” she mumbled.

“Well!”

“I didn’t ask.” Aquamarine caught eyes with Topaz. “Besides, would it make you feel _better_ to know?”

Topaz didn’t answer. She wiped the sweat from her forehead.

“... what was his, you know ... thing?” Topaz said.

Aquamarine hesitated.

“I don’t know, I think he was a _you-know-what_ or something,” she said in a low voice.

Topaz said nothing. She found her eyes being drawn to the floorboard.

“You alright?” Aquamarine asked, a bit nicer than Topaz expected.

“ _Of course_ ,” Topaz snapped, hoping the shakiness in her voice wasn’t evident. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

There was an awkward pause. Aquamarine cleared her throat. Topaz leaned forward, her forehead close to the dashboard.

“Jeez _, he was just a kid though_...” she mumbled.

Aquamarine sighed.

“He’s in a better place now,” she said. “I mean, you know, _probably_.”

Topaz didn’t reply. Aquamarine seemed to poke the inside of her cheek with her tongue.

“Look at it like this,” Aquamarine said. “They’re gonna pay someone to do this _anyway_. Someone’s gonna take their money, it might as well be us. And, you know, it’s only _one_ today. That’s almost like a half-day. A full-day’s pay for half a day’s work? That’s the American Dream! And being British, I’m qualified to say so.”

She grinned and looked to Topaz. Topaz didn’t even try to humor her. Aquamarine’s smile faded.

“... just saying, is all ...” She glanced out the windshield as they arrived at the usual hill they used for these disposals. “We’re here. Let’s dig quick and get out of here.”

Topaz sighed. “Alright ...”

She opened the passenger’s side door.

“Hey, you feel any better?” Aquamarine said.

Topaz shook her head.

Aquamarine narrowed her eyes, as if personally offended.

“... I tried,” she shrugged. Under her breath, just loud enough for Topaz to hear, she mumbled, “ _Moody yank_ ...”

Topaz ignored it as she walked to the bed of the truck. When she reached for the bundle, she saw blonde hair sticking out just as the burnt smell hit her again.

She swallowed, pushing down the urge to vomit. She gently placed the bundle on the ground and grabbed her shovel.

It’s work, Topaz tries to tell herself. It’s just work. She needs the money and this wasn’t so bad as long as she didn’t think too much about it, just stop asking so many question, just go with the flow and _good God, why did this happen_ , this was so fucked up, this could have been her.

_This could have been her_.

Aquamarine gave her a look, but Topaz didn’t even glance her way. She tried her best not to think about it ... but how could she not?

A few minutes later, her and Aquamarine started to dig.


End file.
